Question

robins are a species of songbird which typically lays four eggs in a single clutch. larger clutches can lead to malnourished chicks. smaller clutches make it less likely that there will be a viable offspring. in terms of natural selection, this is an example of: a stabilizing selection b disruptive selection c directional selection d artificial selection

Explanation:

Stabilizing selection favors the intermediate - sized traits. Here, robins laying an intermediate number of eggs (four) is favored as larger clutches lead to malnourished chicks and smaller clutches reduce the likelihood of viable offspring. Disruptive selection favors extreme traits, directional selection shifts the population towards one extreme, and artificial selection is driven by human intervention.

Answer:

A. stabilizing selection